Halfway 2 nowhere

Every year we get asked which bands are going to break out, who’s going to be big this year…and most of the time we give a long list of our favourite artists who we like to listen to.  This year though, after listening to all of the best music from 2017, there was one band that stood head and shoulders above the rest, MARSICANS.

The band from Leeds burst onto our airwaves in early 2017 with the release of Friends, a harmonious, melodic indie banger that still gives me goosebumps live. It was at this point it was clear Marsicans were special. There isn’t a band that sounds like them currently and the early release of Friends showed the ambition and the tightness of the four-piece.

2017 would see two further releases from the band. Much more considered and composed, Too Good showed us a new side to MArsicans; a refreshing side that often goes amiss from bands on the up. Such was the quality of the release when we first heard it and didn’t know it was the band, we assumed it was already a chart topper. It was always going to be hard to replicate Friends and Too Good, but towards the end of the year, Marsicans finally released their best live track Throw Ourselves In. 

The “funner” side of Marsicans came out on this release and is a perfect reflection of every live show I’ve seen of this incredible outfit. If the recorded tracks aren’t enough to convince you that 2018 is going to be the year of Marsicans, then do go and see them live. Following big shows at Live at Leeds and Bingley, we knew they were onto a winning formula. It was in York though, supporting Jaws that we really discovered just how good the band were and are destined to be.

Opening for one for one of the hottest indie bands on the circuit is never an easy job, but Marsicans did that with ease at York Crescent in our favourite performance of theirs in 2017. As with all live performances, there was so much energy on the stage that night. Beaming smiles all round the band love having fun with each other and watching and not paying much attention may lead you to believe the band are very simplistic in style. This certainly is not the case though and the musical ability of Marsicans still blows me away.

If it’s not the tight harmonies, it’s the swapping of instruments between band members, or the purity of the indie guitar riffs that sets the show alight. From Swimming to Throw Ourselves In, the band give it their all and in York, they were as good as I have ever seen them and sealed the deal for us that they were going to be our one to watch in 2018.

They are the nicest guys you’ll ever meet who are in the music industry for all of the right reasons. There is no reason this band can’t take it to the next level and beyond in 2018 with huge shows at Leeds Church and elsewhere already booked to look forward to. We’d go as far to say, if Marsicans aren’t selling out 1000 cap venues by the end of the year, there is no justice left in the world because they seriously deserve it.

Our 2018, One To Watch…Marsicans.